1. Source for this Publication

The texts quoted in Level 3 are directly sourced from the Opinion on "Light Sensitivity", produced in 2008 by the SCENIHR (Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks) of the European Commission.

Levels 1 & 2 were written by Dr. Marisa Fernandez in collaboration with the GreenFacts editorial team and the DG Health and Consumers of the European Commission.

The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) is one of three independent non-food scientific committees that advise the European Commission on matters of consumer safety, public health and the environment.

The committee was set up in 2004 to provide the European Commission with scientific advice on emerging and newly identified risks. SCENIHR addresses broad, complex or multidisciplinary issues requiring a comprehensive assessment of risks to consumer safety or public health. It also answers questions on related issues not covered by other community risk-assessment bodies.

3. Background to this SCENIHR opinion

The Opinion on "Light Sensitivity", was adopted by the SCENIHR at the 26th Plenary, on 23 September 2008.

4. Specific questions asked by the European Commission to the SCENIHR

For its Opinion on "Light Sensitivity", the European Commission has requested SCENIHR the following:

To determine whether the claims of the “light sensitive” citizens associations that their symptoms are aggravated by energy saving lamps are justified, based on solid and up-to-date scientific evidence.

If any of the claims is valid, to determine which lamp characteristics (e.g. light wavelength, lamp frequency, electromagnetic fields emitted, etc.) are responsible.

If any of the claims is valid, to estimate the size of the population affected.